Treatment of milk and milk preparations



Patented Dec. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES TREATMENT OF MILKANDmK PREPARATIONSRalph E.

Hall Laboratories,

Hall, Mount Lebanon, Pr... assignor to Inc, Pittsburgh, Pa... acorporation of Pennsylvania No Drawing. Application October 16. 1984,Serial No. 748,478

. .11 Claims.

application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application SerialNo'. vember 10, 1933.

The formation and constitution of the milk curds in the stomach isapparently intimately :0 related to the digestibility of the milk. Forexample, cow's milk tends to form larger curds than human milk, whichmay account for the more diilicult digestibility of cow's milk by humaninfants.

I have found that the digestibility of milk and milk preparations may beimproved by the addition thereto of an alkali-metal metaphosphate,preferably sodium metaphosphate. The form which I prefer to use is thesodium hexametaphosphate or Graham's salt. The eflect of the sodiummetaphosphate is to reduce the concentration of calcium ion in the milk,which is responsible for cu'rd formation. This is shown by the fact thatit the calcium ion is reduced below 5 a certain point the milk will notcoagulate. Therefore, by controlling the amount of sodium metaphosphateadded to the milk, the degree of curdling can be controlled or evenentirely. eliminated, thus improving the digestibility of the milk.

The action of the sodium'metaphosphate is not to remove the calcium fromthe milk, but is rather to convert it into a slightly ionized watersoluble sodium-calcium metaphosphate complex.

This sodium-calcium metaphosphate complex is gradually hydrolyzed afterabsorption in the body, thus releasing the calcium and orthophosphate.The coagulation of the milk is thus controlled without robbing the milkof the calcium.

40 The present invention is applicable not only to the treatment of rawor pasteurized milk, but also to concentrated milk, such as evaporatedmilk or powdered milk, or other milk preparations, the digestibility ofwhich may be improved by the action of the metaphosphate. All of thesetend in the stomach to form curds, which curd formation can becontrolled or even eliminated by the reduction of the ionic calcium inthe milk. In the preparation of concentrated milk in accord- 60 ancewith the present invention, the milk is first concentrated andthereafter the metaphosphate is added to the concentrated milk which maybe in either liquid or powdered form. By first concentrating the milkand thereafter adding the metaphosphate, the metaphosphate is main-697,532, filed Notained as such until the milk is consumed. It themetaphosphate were added to the milk and the milk then concentrated bythe application of heat, the metaphosphate would revert to theorthophosphate which does not have the property of forming with calciumthe soluble'sodlum-calcium metaphosphate complex. The sodiumorthophosphate would react with the calcium in the milk to forminsoluble calcium orthophosphate which cannot be assimilated by thebody.

In. case it is desired to increase the caloiuzr content of the milk ormilk preparation, the soluble calcium alkali-metal metaphosphate ma: beadded, such as may be produced by adding calcium salt to a sodiummeta-phosphate solution I or else by adding directly to the milk thedesire amount of calcium salt and an amount of sodiun metaphosphatecalculated to take care of th additional calcium.

The invention is applicable to the treatment 0 milk preparationasuch asinfant food contain ing milk or to the treatment of milk containinr foodfor use by those having delicate digestiv systems. The metaphosphate isadded to sue] foods after they have been prepared so as t avoid anysubsequent heating of the milk use therein to a temperature such aswould caus the metaphosphate to revert to the orthophos phate.

While I prefer to use the sodium hexameta phosphate, other water solublemetaphosphate may be used, such, for example, as the dimeta phosphate orthe tetrametaphosphate. Also, th metaphosphates'of other alkali metalsmay 11 used, such as those of potassium, ammoniun lithium, etc.

I claim:

l. The process of improving the digestibility milk and milk preparationsand increasing the soluble calcium content, which comprises addirthereto acalcium salt and an alkali-metal meta phosphate which when themilk or milk prepare tion is in the liquid state holds the calcium 1soluble slightly ionized form.

2. The process of improving the digestibility 1 milk and milkpreparations and increasing the soluble calcium content, which comprisescol centrating the milk, and thereafter adding then to a calcium saltand an alkali-metal metapho phate which when the milk or milk preparatkis in the liquid state holds the calcium in solub slightly ionized form.

3. The process of improving the digestibility milk and milkpreparations. which compris adding thereto an alkali-metal metaphosphawhich when the milk or milk preparation is in the liquid state convertscalcium into a slightly ionized water soluble calcium-alkali-metalmetaphosphate complex, and maintaining the metaphosphate as such untilthe milk or milk preparation is consumed.

4. The process of improving the digestibility of milk and milkpreparations, which comprises adding thereto sodium hexametaphosphate,and maintaining the hexametaphosphate as such until the milk or milkpreparation is consumed.

5. The process of improving the digestibility of milk and milkpreparations and.increasing their soluble calcium content, whichcomprises adding thereto a calcium salt and sodium hexametaphosphate.

6. The process of improving the digestibility of milk or milkpreparations, which comprises concentrating the milk, and thereafteradding-thereto an alkali-metal metaphosphate which when the milk or milkpreparation is in the liquid state holds the calcium in the milk insoluble slightly ionized form. 1

7. A milk preparation in finished form containing an alkali-metalmetaphosphate having the property of reducing the concentration 01 thecalcium ion in the milk while retaining the calcium in water solubleform when the preparation is in the liquid state.

8. A milk preparation in finished form containing in addition to thecalcium originally 9. A preparation containing concentrated milk and analkali-metal metaphosphate having the property of reducing theconcentration of calclum ion in the milk while retaining the calcium inwater soluble form when the preparation is in the liquid state.

10. A preparation containing concentrated milk and an alkali-metalhexametaphosphate.

11. An easily digestible milk preparation containing in addition to thecalcium originally present in the milk a calcium salt and an alkalimetalmetaphosphate having the property when the milk prepration is in theliquid state of forming with the calcium salt a slightly ionized watersoluble metaphosphate complex.

RALPH E. HALL.

I CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,064,110. December 15, 193

RALPH E. HALL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2,second column, line '7, claim 8, strike out "in addition to the calciumoriginally" and insert instead the words and period sodiumhexametaphosphate. and that the said Letters Patent should be read withthis correction therein that the same may conform to the record of. thecase in the Patent Cffice- Signed and sealed this 25rd day,of February.A. D. 1937.

. Henry Van Arsdale (Seal Acting Commissioner of Patents.

